The present invention relates to gaming and gambling games. Specifically, the present invention is an improved insurance wager for a card game played between a dealer and a player according to the conventional rules of Blackjack.
Many casino games include players playing against the casino to obtain a player hand having a value closer to a target value than the house hand. Blackjack, for example, is a well known card game played in casinos. The object of the game is to have a final hand total closer to twenty-one than the dealer""s final hand total without exceeding twenty-one. For purposes of calculating the final hand total, each card has a value equal to its face value except face cards, which have a value of ten, and aces, which may have a value of eleven or one as the player selects. In conventional Blackjack, the suit of the cards is irrelevant.
The form of Blackjack played in casinos is played between a dealer, representing the house, and at least one player. In a typical Blackjack game, each player makes a base wager in a wagering area on a playing surface. The dealer deals two cards to each player and two cards, one card face up and the other face down, to himself or herself. If the dealer has an Ace exposed in his hand, each player may make an insurance wager equal to one half the player""s base wager. The dealer checks his hole card and, if he has a natural twenty-one, rewards any player making an insurance wager but collects the player""s base wager. Because the insurance wager is paid at two to one, but is only one half the player""s base wager, winning the insurance wager results in a wash, that is, the player can only break even. If the dealer does not have a natural twenty-one, insurance wagers are immediately collected.
If the dealer does not have a natural twenty one, any player receiving a natural twenty-one or Blackjack, i.e. a total of twenty-one in the initial dealt hand, is immediately rewarded, typically at a rate of 2:1 or 3:2, and play is terminated as to that player. Each remaining player examines the player""s hand and decides whether to hit, i.e. receive another card, or stand, i.e. stand on the player""s current hand. A player may hit as many times as the player wishes as long as the player does not bust, i.e. receive a card causing his cumulative total to exceed twenty-one. When a player busts, the player""s wager is immediately collected and play is terminated as to that player.
A player may also have additional options available depending on the initial player hand dealt. If the player receives a pair, i.e. two cards having the same face value, the player may split the pair and use each card as a basis for a separate hand. For example, if a player were to be dealt a pair of eights, the player may choose to split the pair and continue play with two hands each having an eight and an additional dealt card. Each of those individual hands is then played independently.
A player may also have the option to double down. Although the availability of the double down option vary from casino to casino, the option allows a player to double the player""s wager in exchange for a single additional card.
After all the players have played their hands, the dealer reveals the face-down card in the dealer""s hand. The dealer plays the dealer""s hand according to established house rules. That is, the casino uses established rules to eliminate the dealer""s discretion hits or stands as the house rules dictate, and resolves the wagers. In resolving the wagers, players with a final hand total closer to twenty-one than the dealer""s final hand total are rewarded at 1:1. Conversely, wagers are collected from players with a final hand total further from twenty-one than the dealer""s final hand total. If the dealer busts, all players who did not bust or receive a Blackjack are rewarded. If the player and dealer push, i.e. have the same final hand total, the player""s wager is returned.
The drawback to this game is that the insurance wager is only available for initial holdings and not for the final dealer hand. Also, insurance wagers are often seen as unattractive wagers to experienced players because of the infrequency of the payout and the fact that winning the insurance wager only means that the player breaks even. Further, it is known in the art that players are drawn to new features on conventional games, especially when those features lead to higher or more frequent payouts. Thus, it can be seen that there is a need in the art for a method for playing Blackjack that allows larger payouts and an attractive opportunity to insure a wager after the initial holding.
The present invention is a an improved insurance wager for Blackjack. The insurance wager of the present invention is available when the dealer""s face-up card is a card having a predetermined value, optionally ten. Thus, in the optional embodiment, the insurance wager is available when the dealer""s face-up card is a ten or a face card.
An insurance outcome set is defined. The insurance outcome set contains at least two predetermined holdings with an insurance payout associated with each holding. Optionally, the insurance payout for each holding is different. In an optional embodiment, the outcome set includes natural twenty-one, twenty-one, and twenty.
As known in the art, Blackjack is played between a player and a dealer. The player makes an initial wager and the dealer deals an initial two-card hand to the player and the dealer. In the dealer""s initial hand, one of the cards is dealt face-up. The player completes his or her hand by hitting or standing. Optionally, if the player busts, the player""s cards are collected and the player is excluded from further play.
The dealer exposes his initial hand and forms a final hand by hitting or standing according to the conventional rules of Blackjack. If the dealer""s final hand is within the insurance outcome set, the player receives the insurance payout associated with the predetermined holding, otherwise, the player loses the player""s insurance wager. In an optional embodiment, the player is paid on an insurance wager without regard to the player""s final hand, i.e. regardless of whether the player beats the dealer on the initial wager.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an insurance wager that insures against a dealer hand after the dealer""s initial holding.